


Parallels

by havocthecat



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/F, F/M, Femslash, Het, UST, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-01-11
Updated: 2005-01-11
Packaged: 2017-11-05 18:40:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/409712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/havocthecat/pseuds/havocthecat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They know each other so well they don't need words any more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Parallels

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here on LJ.](http://havocthecat.livejournal.com/131171.html)

She loves him--and she loves me. We both love her. Neither of us is allowed to.

I know how he feels about her. How could I not after all we've been through? I'm pretty sure he knows how I feel about her too. It has all the feel of a Shakespearean tragedy about it. Not Romeo & Juliet, but Hamlet, where the Prince and Ophelia are separated due to station--only Sam is too strong to go mad, and the Colonel would rather die than hurt her. Shame Ophelia didn't have a best friend.

The three of us don't breathe a word of it, even to each other, but the undercurrents run deep, especially when we're all together.

"I saw you and Daniel flirting in the infirmary," says Sam, her eyes twinkling as she sets her tray across from me in the mess. Unspoken by her, I hear _Is it serious?_ Body language makes telepaths of us all if you've known someone long enough.

I shrug nonchalantly and grin right back. "Just another interminable checkup to make sure his descended self is still in a perfect state of health." _It could be_. Brutal honesty underlies our light conversation. _Is it a problem?_

"His words or yours?" she asks lightly as she smears butter on a baked potato. _I don't know_ says the set of her shoulders.

I exist as part of the most insane relationship in the history of the U.S. armed forces. I'm sure of it.

"Oh, his, definitely." I smirk as I bite into a french fry covered in ketchup. "I think he was trying to make me feel sorry for him." _I'm sorry, but..._

 _I know._ She looks up and smiles at Colonel O'Neill, who sets his tray down and sits next to me. It's safer for all of us that way. "Where are Daniel and Teal'c?" asks Sam.

The Colonel glances easily at us. _You guys okay?_ I've become adept at reading the nonverbal communication of a man I admire because of the woman we love. There's something so horribly wrong about that statement, and yet we live with it every day. There's really nothing else we can do. "Daniel's catching up on some artifacts we picked up while he was--" _dead_ "--away." He drums his fingers on the table before he reaches for a fork. "The big guy's in with one of the diplomatic teams going over some Free Jaffa government ideas."

"Must be hard," says Sam. _She's flirting with Daniel_. "Putting together a form of government after a millennia of being ruled by a theocracy."

 _Thought so._ Colonel O'Neill abandons his fork and tosses a piece of fried mozzarella into his mouth instead. _Something in it?_

"Teal'c wants a democracy, from what he's mentioned," I say. _Maybe._ It would leave the field clear for the Colonel and Sam, if they were ever able to get together. "He's studied Earth governments. Master Bra'tac agrees, but--"

 _You're uncomfortable--_ "Some Jaffa aren't comfortable with that system," finishes Sam. _We shouldn't--_

 _I'm fine._ "They would prefer a monarchy where one ruler and his advisors--"

"Emphasis on his," interjects Sam, frowning. _Okay. Sorry._

"--have near-absolute power," I finish. _Thanks._

"Someone should remind them about that Im-ho-twerp guy," grumbles Colonel O'Neill. _Everything peachy, ladies?_

 _Fine._ Sam stretches after taking the last bite of her baked potato.

 _Fine._ I turn my attention to the bacon cheeseburger I ordered in defiance of good sense and all medical knowledge.

"Anyone off duty soon?" asks the Colonel, when we all know that he knows the answer perfectly well.

 _What's he want?_ Sam glances at me.

 _Don't know._ I shrug at her. "Why?" I ask.

"General Hammond 'requested' that new SGC personnel start getting to know each other in a more casual environment. So I'm having a barbecue." _Help me._

Sam raises an eyebrow. "Sir?" she asks. _Is this an order?_

"A bunch of new enlisted types and eager young Lieutenants that we just yanked in here are going to be getting to know each other at my place without--and I'm quoting General Hammond directly here 'too many senior officers ruining the relaxed atmosphere.'" _No. But you're going._

"Which is where I don't fit in, Colonel," I tell him. _I'm not going._ "I'm the mother of a teenager. According to Cassie, I kill fun solely by existing."

Sam giggles and puts her glass of Diet Coke down quickly.

"Come on, Doc," said the Colonel. "Daniel and Teal'c are gonna be there. General Hammond's making the leaders of all the SG teams take their turns."

 _I'm going to kill you for talking me into this._ "I'm not on an SG team, remember, Colonel? I have enough to do acclimating new medical staff to the base."

"I know you're not on an SG team," says the Colonel, pushing his food around on his plate. "If you were, all the Goa'uld would have been medical examined to death years ago." _Hah. Gotcha._

"Medical examined to death?" I raise an eyebrow. _You're going to suffer._ "Do we need to send you to Remedial English For Officers classes, Colonel?"

"Hah, hah, very funny," says Colonel O'Neill. _I still gotcha._

"Come on, Janet," says Sam. _I'd like to see you there._ "You know if we don't go there won't be any dessert."

I look at Sam, then at Colonel O'Neill, and it occurs to me--again-- that we know how to press each other's buttons entirely too well.

"There's supposed to be dessert?" asks Colonel O'Neill, the picture of wide-eyed innocence. "It's a barbecue. You can't cook dessert on a grill."

Sam and I look at each other and sigh. Sam does her best not to roll her eyes at her commanding officer; I have no such compunctions. "There's always supposed to be dessert," I say firmly. _All right, all right. I'll be there_ "I'll stop by the bakery after my shift and see what I can pick up."

"Great!" exclaims the Colonel. "It'll be fun!" _We can get drunk and pretend we're normal._

 _Hah._ Sam smiles and stands. "I'll bring the Jello." She picks up her tray and leaves, not saying goodbye.

"Bring some of the red kind this time, Carter!" yells the Colonel.

"We'll see," says Sam on her way out the door.

Colonel O'Neill and I look at each other. _Isn't she-_ he starts.

_Yeah._

We finish the rest of our meal in silence.  
\--end--


End file.
